Emily Sargent(1857 - 1936)

On a recent trip to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, I was fortunate to be able to view: Winslow Homer: in Watercolor, amongst the crowded galleries. Homer's watercolors, on exhibit, had not been seen for over half a century, thus, marking the importance of this occasion.

However, before heading out for the day, it was revealed that Emily Sargent(1857 - 1936) had watercolors on exhibit in a gallery upstairs. Emily is the sister to John Singer Sargent, the well-known American portraitist. Neither John nor Emily married. However, they both painted extensively in watercolors, often on excursions with others, depending on where they were in the world.

In Emily's watercolor above, one can sense the shared subject matter between brother and sister and likely similar palette.

In 1998, 440 of her watercolors were discovered in a trunk in a family residence. Many of these watercolors were soon after donated to some of the greatest museums in the world(ie. Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, The Tate, The National Gallery of Art & The Metropolitan Museum of Arts amongst others). Credit: Wikipedia.

During her lifetime, her watercolors were only once known to have been exhibited.

Ultramarine Blue

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Of all the rainbow of pigments I frequently run out of ultramarine blue. This color seems to evaporate from my palette. Often, I use this pigment in painting my skies on it's own and with other blues such as cobalt blue or cerulean. Also, I frequently use this pigment in depicting water and with other colors. 

Perhaps, it is even more valuable in mixing darks. One of my favorite combinations is to mix ultramarine blue with burnt sienna which makes a rich gray or lovely dark depending on the pigment ratio's. Another lovely dark I frequently use is ultramarine blue with burnt umber.

This is not to say I don't use other blues. There are so many out there. Some of my favorites are: Prussian blue, kings royal blue, ultramarine feinst, marine blue, peacock blue, verditer blue, horizon blue and phthalo blue.

When I use a limited palette, ultramarine blue often has to be included because it mixes well with other pigments and is useful in mixing greens.

New Landscape

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

In southern Vermont we have had cold nights and mounting snow not unlike major swaths of the country. All I have been doing for days is shoveling snow and organizing in preparation for working on my federal taxes. I do admit the snow we are receiving is beautiful and truly freshens up the landscape.

I did manage to squeeze in this watercolor between shifts of shoveling my driveway. The white of the paper really comes forward when all the washes are applied.

Winter fun is all around me. I am eager to take advantage of this deep snow. I haven't been on my snowshoes for some time. Plus, it is time to take out my cross-country skis in earnest. I have been on them once this year. However, it has been hard to know what the conditions will be as they have been ever-changing.

Cobalt Blue & Burnt Umber

                                                                                              (C) 2026 Dale DiMauro
 

Sand, water and stone makes a strong composition. There is a simplicity and timeless quality to these elements which is unmistakeable. The tide is generally coming in or going out. This watercolor was based  on a photograph I took along the coast of Maine.

This entire watercolor was painted with just two pigments: cobalt blue and burnt umber.  First, I painted a wash of cobalt blue over the paper. However, since this was a rough Arches watercolor paper some high points on the paper remained white, suggesting some sparkle from the sun.

Then I mixed both pigments to depict the sand color. After this I mixed the darkest value which is the rock-like color.

With experience I have learned to not fight the roughness of the paper if a paper has much texture to it's surface. After all, this is the strength of the painting surface. This picture was painted in one sitting.

I like the overall feel of this picture - it is very rhythmic and calming.

Prussian Blue & Other Thoughts

                                                                                 (C) 2026 Dale DiMauro
 

The watercolor medium has a rather unfair reputation. It has been said that watercolor is difficult to master. So, many artists distance themselves from picking up the practice altogether.

Regardless, it is the most portable, accessible and efficient to use of all the painting processes I can think of. All you need is clear water to clean your brushes.

From my experience the very things that make watercolor difficult to undertake are the very qualities that no other medium provides.

For example, the blending of colors if, well-placed can create lovely runs or can add weight to your subject matter. This is best done through the wet-into-wet technique. Mastering when to use soft and hard edges can suggest painting mist and other atmospheric affects, etc.

This week while studying a Winslow Homer watercolor at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, I learned how he could establish three different values with one wash of Prussian blue paint: a wash for the sky, with blotting he would remove paint near the horizon leaving only the stained color & paint pure pigment for the shadows on the water with varying amounts of pressure from his brush work.

Watercolor is a medium I constantly learn from each and every day...

Winter Light

                                                                                 (C) 2026 Dale DiMauro
 

Painting snow in watercolor is a subject in of itself. It is very romantic. However, I love to paint snow scenes particular when fresh snow has recently blanketed the landscape. 

To make the snow radiate in the foreground I pre-washed the foreground where the snow is with a lemon-yellow pigment. In addition, to emphasize the glowing tree trunks I used brilliant orange which gives warmth to the landscape. 

Late last fall I painted a version of this scene without the snow. It had great late afternoon light not unlike this scene. Recently, one cold late Sunday afternoon I caught this dramatic snow scene from the distance and trudged over in my boots and took a quick photograph.

I thought about adding a bird or two to the sunlit branching but thought better of it. I thought it would be a bit cheesy. Overall, I like quality of the light and colors in this scene.

Watercolor Sketch

                                                                                 

                                                                                            (C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Not all watercolors are finished works of art. This watercolor was painted in the Brattleboro Food Coop's cafe looking towards the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center with the backdrop of Wantastiquet Mountain, made famous by Henry David Thoreau.

I chose to remove all the construction equipment and signage which dominated the middle ground for a more rural look. Plus, I was painting on a small watercolor block which couldn't possibly contain all that detail.

Ironically, you can feel the shadow cast from the clouds overhead yet the sky in this photograph does not convey the patches of blue which I painted in the sky.

I do like the simple washes which depict some of the characteristics of the museum and grounds.

Reflecting on Past Paintings

                                                                                     (C) 2026 Dale DiMauro
 

At times the best paintings are the ones left behind.....

Recently, I was thinning out my office space of the inevitable clutter that begins to accumulate in this capitalism culture in which we live in. I came upon some watercolors which are a 'gem' for one reason or another. Some have clean brush strokes, others have pleasing color combinations while another has pigments that highlight the texture of the paper. I am not speaking in an arrogant matter just mindful in that moment of what I was sorting through.

In this political moment or moments, I am fortunate to be able to express myself in both painting and at the same time using drawing and painting as a healing practice to provide daily therapy. After all, everyone of the three hundred and forty million Americans who live in this country are going to need a lot of healing if our 'democracy' is to emerge from the current dark days to a greater outcome.

Of all the mediums to use for painting in this time, watercolor may be the best at expressing a bold stroke or even the quickest application.  At times a limited palette, simple composition or subject matter speaks the loudest. A painting in watercolor done over months is often no better than one done in ten minutes.

I like the abstract shape of these forms and the simple color scheme. Plus, this was intuitively painted in about ten minutes. 

Across the Field

                                                                           (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

All kinds of surfaces are fair game game to paint on. I have painted on smooth hot-pressed, mild-textured and rough paper. In addition, I have painted on soft press paper and bristol board.

This was painted on a remnant of Arches 300lb watercolor paper that I received communicating a Christmas gift. I have read where this paper is recommended for plein air painting or direct painting. Also, it dries slower than thinner papers allowing the artist more time to work their washes. As a side note, I have begun experimenting with gum arabic which gives you some control over the painting process.

I like the added touch of venetian red on the middle left in contrast to the cooler pigments.

Local Pond

                                                                                      (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Last night I managed to paint this watercolor of a local pond, a favorite on one of my walks. Recently, the pond has frozen over. As a matter of fact, I observed three people walk across it to reach the trails on the other side.

Locally, I don't think I have ever seen water this color. I may be wrong but it caught my attention as I walked by.

In mixing the pools of paint I used for this picture - I settled on a watered down sap green for the surface of the pond with a sepia tone for the edge of the distant shore. 

For this watercolor I used the thicker 300 lb Arches watercolor paper instead of my usual 140 lb block paper. I am even considering using this 300 lb paper for my next plein air painting as many artists consider this Arches paper ideal for painting outside. This paper doesn't tend to buckle and has a slower drying time allowing me to work the surface longer.

Merry Christmas & A Better New Year!

 

                                                                                  (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro

                                          

Happy Holidays to all! 

This was a five minute watercolor painting before preparing Christmas Eve dinner. It's always good to put something down. You can always come back to it later, if necessary.

The paper(140 lb) buckled as the picture-side was wet but I soaked the back before I laid it down on a protective board. It's all good as far as experimenting with your materials and fine-tuning your artistic process. 

I learn the most when I am unprepared for an outcome. After all, John Singer Sargent famously stated that 'painting in watercolor is making the most of an emergency'.

MORE TREES, PLEASE!

                                                                                  (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Trees command a presence in the landscape. They frames views into the larger scene and depict character like no other element in the landscape. Trees that shed their leaves every season turn an attractive color in fall and cast a lovely silhouette against the snow in winter.

I am saddened when someone cuts a mature tree down in their yard as it is such a loss to the community. In most cases it took years to reach the size it commands yet the loss of habitat and other environmental qualities such as their cooling affect in the summer or perches for birds, to sit on, is lost for some time. In addition, often people don't allow trees to reach their full potential or overcrowd other vegetation around them which forces constant pruning or removal.

Whether they are deciduous or evergreens, trees add so much to a painting. This tree was primarily painted with burnt sienna and pthalocyanine green with a little bit of ultramarine blue at the base of the foliage to add more depth.  

Often when I paint an evergreen I combine payne's gray with alizarin crimson and pthalocyanine green. This paint combination results in a cool dark green which is very soothing as a backdrop for some focal point.

Over time trees begin to change the contours of the landscape as their roots take hold and create micro-climates all unto themselves.

Anna Alma-Tadema

This past summer my wife and I made our annual pilgrimage to the Clark Art Museum in Williamstown, MA. The featured exhibit was titled, A Room of Her Own: Women Artists - Activists in Britain (1875 - 1945). 

Among the artwork was this watercolor painted by Anna Alma-Tadema (1867-1943), the daughter of well known painter, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. She was a British artist and suffragette known for her painting of flowers, portraits, buildings, and interiors. The level of detail, accuracy, and painterly ability are stunning.

I searched for a postcard of this painting to purchase at the museum store but had no such luck. the photograph isn't perfect because the glass covering the image was reflective, creating shadows that don't exist in the actual watercolor.

For those who have not been to the Clark, it is a world class museum of the like you may see in an urban environment, yet it is situated in a picturesque rural setting.

 

Brattleboro(VT) Retreat Field

                                                                                      (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Odd enough, I don't walk through the Brattleboro, VT Retreat fields much in the summer but I definitely do in the winter months. Part of that is fear of too much tick activity in the summer time plus a more active schedule when the days are long.

I thought I would throw in a warmer season watercolor during this cold winter spell. This watercolor has richer coloration than this photograph depicts. Anyway, you can the vibrant greens of the early growing season.

I experimented with many newer painting techniques which may not all be to my benefit at this point. I dropped in much darker darks to depict the breaks and stronger shadows amongst the grass in this field. Also, I put in a dull dark wash in the foreground to express the heavy shadow from the nearby tree and highlight the sun on some grass blades in the foreground.

Today's Plein Air Painting

                                                                                         (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Winter in Vermont came back with a vengeance, shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday had passed. Not only did we receive our first snow storm of the season but harsh cold temperatures came with it. This includes icy road conditions and slick walkways.

With today's wintery mix of snow I resorted to painting from the comfort of my home. This watercolor was painted while I looked out of one of my windows.

It was a challenge as I hadn't painted a snow scene in some time, yet I had to get up to speed quickly. Ultimately, I didn't allow enough time as the darkness moved in quickly. The other issue is I tend to prefer a slightly different palette for painting snow. I use a greater range of blues such as cobalt blue and manganese as they can convey outdoor temperatures like no other pigments do.

There is a freshness in this scene which I have come to appreciate. Snow transforms the landscape and brings to light qualities which I only see on the shortest days of the year.

Winslow Homer Copy

The Museum of Fine Arts(MFA), in Boston, MA has the largest collection of Winslow Homer's(1836-1910) watercolors in the world. Their current exhibition titled, "Of Light and Air, Winslow Homer's Watercolors" runs from November 2, 2025 to January 19, 2026. This includes watercolors not seen by the public in over half a century.

I am more than eager to see this exhibition, even though, in the past, I may have seen many of these pictures in person. To see this large collection, at one venue, as a group will be quite impressive.

The other day when I was put on hold by my prescription drug company, clarifying my refill order, I started painting this figure made famous by Winslow Homer. As I waited on my phone and painted this image it seemed to come together for me. 

I have always admired Homer's depiction of outdoorsmen, as they seem so simple in execution yet so commanding in their posture. Ultimately, I find Winslow Homer's watercolor washes so direct yet simple and effective. They are not overworked or full of detail, yet true to the landscape in which the figure occupies

 

(Brattleboro) Retreat Field

                                                                                    (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro
 

Over time I have come to appreciate the low and long-shadowed light of November. If you are outside in the afternoon on a sunny day a bit before sundown the the natural light can at times cast a glow across the landscape. The newly fallen leaves lend warmth to this cold landscape.

This watercolor was painted with a plein air approach. I was locked in painting as direct as I could even though our heat pumps crashed two times in the last twenty four hours. Regardless, it was primarily painted in one session. 

This cornfield has the look of a golf course green. However, since the corn stalks were cut back I think we have had some moisture which the summer lacked with some sunny fall days. It is always pleasant to walk across this field as it is such a wide open space and take in any bird activity and the drama that the sea of clouds convey. 

Yesterday, we indeed, had our first snowstorm of the season, putting an abrupt ending to the outdoor season. However, the fresh snow has made the evening landscape much brighter which I appreciate.

Harris Hill Ski Jump

                                                                                            (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro         
 

Harris Hill Ski Jump in Brattleboro, VT is well known as one of the few locations on the east coast for long distance jumping. While it is primarily a volunteer-run event, it draws crowds of people from a great distance. 

There is much advanced preparation as the hill is only used one weekend a year. The rest of the year the property is part of a larger swath of land owned and operated by the Brattleboro Retreat Farm. The miles of trails are used daily by hikers, mountain bikers, cross-country skiers and dog walkers.

With mild weather the day before Thanksgiving, I sat on a stone wall at the base of the Harris Ski Jump and painted this in the mist and dew of the afternoon. I studied the umbers and ochers of the fall season as seen in this local landscape.

Neighborhood Park

                                                                                     (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro

At this time of year you have to take advantage of the sun when you can. I tried to fit in some painting as I went for a walk at the same time. It is to my benefit as I have a neighborhood park minutes away by foot.
 

However, it is getting challenging to paint outside as the temperature continues to drop. Nevertheless, I squeezed in some plein air painting on both Monday and this afternoon. This mild streak is a welcome reprieve from the dark, cloudy days of late.

I found a nice spot to situate myself out of the wind yet in the sun along a retaining wall. This way I could set up my equipment along the wall where I did not have to hold anything except for my paint brushes. 

I do like the quality of light as seen in this picture. But, boy do the shadows move in quickly.

Quick Watercolor

                                                                                       (C) 2025 Dale DiMauro

Warming up before painting in watercolor is an important practice. This loosens up the muscles and frees the mind. I do this nearly everyday. Also, it is necessary to let the pigments run into each other and to convey atmospheric affects.

After all, an artist is more likely to experiment before settling into the rigors of a larger painting. This watercolor was painted in fifteen minutes and it probably shows that. However, it is much more vibrant and expressive then some forty-hour paintings some people do. 

Only four pigments were used in this picture: ultramarine blue, cerulean, new gamboge and permanent rose.